The high cost of U.S. healthcare has prompted many Americans to fly overseas in search of cheaper, less-regulated dental care. However, while overseas dentistry or “dental tourism” may be more affordable, it can also pose many health risks to both your oral and your overall health. In today’s post, our South Park family dentist discusses why, when it comes to your teeth, you’re better off sticking with local practitioners you can trust.
The Most Popular Destinations for Cheap Dentistry
The most popular dental tourism hotspot for Americans is Mexico, followed by India, Costa Rica, and Thailand. Europeans often head to Hungary, where there are more dentists per capita than any other country—Hungary even boasts entire towns mostly dedicated to practicing dentistry. For this reason, Americans craving a European journey will sometimes travel to Hungary as well.
Dental tourists can get almost any procedure done abroad, but to make the cost of the trip worth it, they tend to have the most complex and expensive procedures performed. These include oral surgery, dental implants, root canals, crowns, and bridges. Cosmetic services like veneers are also very popular, as these often aren’t covered even for patients who do have dental insurance.
Pros and Cons of Dental Tourism
Dental tourism really has only one main advantage—cost. Dentists in the most popular destinations—Mexico, India, Costa Rica, and Thailand, for Americans—can usually perform invasive procedures at a fraction of the cost of American practitioners.
However, foreign dentists might not hold the same standard practices as local dentists do, and the procedures they perform may even be entirely different than what an American would expect. For instance, foreign dentists have been known to neglect removing cavities before applying a crown, an egregious oversight that can cause a lot of problems for patients down the road.
In addition, many foreign countries do not have governmental agencies inspecting their work, and there is very little oversight into whether or not a practicing dentist has the experience, training, and licensing to perform safe, high-quality procedures. If you are considering overseas dental work, remember that one of the reason foreign dentists are able to keep costs low is because there is no government agency requiring high-quality tools, equipment, sanitary practices, or personnel. Those cut corners might shave a couple hundred dollars off your bill—but you also might end up losing a couple teeth!
Lack of Follow-Up Care
Another important thing to consider is that, as a tourist, your dentist will not be able to follow up with you to ensure your recovery is going smoothly. All follow-up care will be impossible, and if any major problems arise from the work performed, your local dentist will have a tough time figuring out exactly what happened and how to correct it. You might end up paying much more than you would have if you’d just had the procedure performed at home in the first place.
Don’t Gamble with Your Teeth—Visit Our Local South Park Dentist!
Remember—money comes and goes, but you will you only get one set of adult teeth in your lifetime. Don’t gamble with your oral health—keep your smile 100% safe by sticking with a local, licensed dentist! If you would like to schedule a cosmetic or restorative dental procedure with our South Park Charlotte dentist, please click here.